ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani government has notified the establishment of a new directorate for “religious education” and appointed Dr. Ghulam Sarwar as its head.
The development comes days after Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said his government would form a ‘Rehmatul-lil-Aalameen (blessing for all the worlds) Authority,’ which would portray the true image of Islam, research the life of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), monitor the media and keep an eye on school curriculum.
The prime minister made the announcement of the new authority last week at a conference in Islamabad that marked the start of the Islamic month of Rabi-ul-Awwal, which holds special significance for Muslims who observe the 12th of the month as Mawlid Al-Nabi, the birth day of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
He had said the proposed authority would comprise Islamic scholars of international repute who would help familiarize children and elders to the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and tell the world, particularly the West, that Islam was a religion of love and humanity.
The government has already been looking for the head of the body, having a vast knowledge of the life of Prophet (PBUH) and relevant publications to his credit. It has now appointed Dr. Sarwar the head of “Directorate General of Religious Education.”
“Dr. Ghulam Sarwar has assumed the charge of the post of Project Director (PPS-12), ‘Establishment of Directorate General of Religious Education’ under Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, Islamabad,” the Pakistani education ministry said in a notification on Wednesday.
Sarwar has been appointed on a contractual basis until June 2022, it said.
Addressing the conference on October 10, PM Khan said he himself would be a “patron” of the Rehmatul-lil-Aalameen Authority, which would “monitor” school curriculum.
“[Scholars] will monitor how [children] are studying, does that [curriculum] need any changes. There will be discussion among scholars,” he said at the time.
The authority will “conduct research in universities” and suggest what changes were required to bring society in lines with Islam, he added.